Xbox version differences/limitations thread

SirDrexl · Powder Monkey Posts: 5 **239 Gold** -

I thought I would start a thread where we could report and discuss the differences and limitations with the Xbox version as compared to the PC version. While I do like the Xbox version, I've noticed some problems with it nonetheless.

You cannot walk around on land. The things you have to find like treasures, family members, etc., are placed near the shore so you debark your ship and get them right away if you land in the right spot. However, sometimes an item will be placed at the edge of the game map. This is being called the "Trinidad Map Bug," but I don't think it's limited to that area of the map because I saw a post where someone said he was supposed to look near St. Augustine and couldn't find it either. Also, the landmarks don't always seem to appear: I got a map once with two landmarks I could not see at all. I did find the treasure though.

You can only have 5 ships in your fleet instead of 8. I would guess this was done to keep the frame rate reasonable.

They took out control over the pirouettes from the dancing, and I don't understand why. It's not as if there aren't enough buttons, as they could have just used the triggers or black and white buttons for those. Maybe they thought it was too hard? Anyway, the pirouettes are still there, but you do them automatically. The problem with this is that the pirouettes are always done as normal moves, so if you had a combo of flourishes going, your combo ends. If you could control these yourself, you could keep it going, but no, they've taken away your ability to do that. I wish they would at least have made the pirouettes not count so you could contine your combo when you do the next move you have control over.

Also, there are some cities not in the game, mostly due to you not being able to go on land. Gran Granada, Panama, Puerto Principe, and Leogane are missing. Leogane is not landlocked in the PC game, but there is a small island near it and removing it may have something to do with them making the map smaller in relation to the ships.

Cannons are not a tradeable commodity. The numbers of Cannons are randomly assigned to ships in differing numbers within the same ship class, and you cannot increase the number of cannons a ship can hold. Apparently you have an unlimited supply of cannons; you just have to wait for them to load.

Anything else? I want to stress that I am still enjoying the Xbox version, but compared to the PC version, it isn't as good IMHO.

Overt Stipend · Powder Monkey Posts: 23 **857 Gold** -

Thanks for the post SirDrexl Wink

The inabillity to walk on land while hunting treasure etc. is the #1 issue for me. Bringing this into the xbox version would probably fix the "Trinidad map bug". Especially if it goes, as you suspect, beyond the Trinidad area.

I did not know about the dancing issue - good catch.

I Like the intention of this thread and will support. What do you think about a poll listing the issues you mention, something to make it easy to participate in? The idea would be to send it off to Firaxis as a kind of "show of numbers" with the hope of some type of fix.

What do you think about a random encounters (land battles?) as part of the overland thing?

Sailor

bray · Powder Monkey Posts: 11 **191 Gold** -

actually with the dancing slippers you automatically twirl

gonzo914 · Powder Monkey Posts: 4 **146 Gold** -

Overt Stipend · Powder Monkey Posts: 23 **857 Gold** -

gonzo914 · Powder Monkey Posts: 4 **146 Gold** -

Sonicsfan · Cutthroat Posts: 347 **1729 Gold** -

Probably they had to cut some things brcause there was no room for it,pitty that the walking to treasure is desappear,and nations settlements,but i rather play the game with controler then with keyboard.so every game has is pro and cons

Booty Chaser · Powder Monkey Posts: 4 **167 Gold** -

Sigrah · Powder Monkey Posts: 5 **225 Gold** -

The only difference between the PC and XBOX versions that bugs me is that you can't get any real mods for XBOX. That kind of puts a damper on changing the graphics. Aside from that, I tend to like it better than the PC version.

Lack of overland journeys: I prefer it. No more walking around Gran Granada looking for the Lost City of X anymore.

Fixed Cannon Count: Not the end of the world. If you beat on the nation that hands out the kind of ship you're looking for, you're bound to get the ship you want with the maximum guns at some point (England for me to get a Brig of War, possibly Captain Kidd instead).

Limited Pirouettes While Dancing: You can still twirl her, you just need dancing slippers to do it. Actually makes them worth having more than the PC version so that you can do fancier moves.

No Inland Cities: While Panama was a fun city to sack, especially in the classic version, I'm not shedding too many tears over it's disappearance. I'd rather lose that than be sent on a map quest to find something near Gran Granada (again).

5 Ship Limit vs 8 Ship Limit: Didn't affect me that much. I made it a habbit to hit ports in the PC game after 4 or 5 ships anyways, just because it was hard to dump cargo from 8 ships even with Marquis status.

Something not mentioned - Treasure Maps: In XBOX version, buying a treasure map in a specific city doesn't automatically guarantee that said treasure will be within a certain radius. For example, in the PC version, if I bought treasure maps in St. Kitts or any of the surrounding cities, they almost always showed up somewhere near San Juan, with some going as far as Santo Domingo or some being near Guadolupe. In XBOX, I can buy a piece in Trinidad, and the treasure might be anywhere between there and Vera Cruz. Kind of good and bad. Good in that you no longer get stuck in a particular area until you have all the pieces you need to find it, bad in that you might have to go across the entire Caribean to find it.

EDIT:
Forgot one of the major changes: The Montalban Quest. In the XBOX version, getting to Montalban tends to be more time consuming than the PC version. The only way you get the map to Montalban is thru the Stranger. When you talk to him, he'll give you a task to do before advancing you on the quest. Tasks include simple things like Capture a ship (Sloop, Trade Galleon, or Treasure Galleon), Capture a Top 10 Pirate, Visit the Governor of Colony X, or get a Promotion from a specific country. They also include more time consuming things like Find a Buried Treasure (can be time consuming if you don't get offered map pieces), Rescue Family Member X, or Marry a Governor's Daughter.

In all, you have to complete 15 tasks you have to do in order to get the map to Montalban's hideout (it's all or nothing, you don't get pieces as you complete tasks). You can't get the pieces off Montalban himself (he doesn't spawn at all in the game, atleast not in all the games I've played so far) or thru other sources, so it generally ends up being a huge time sink if you want to do away with him.